Staple-extractor



May 11, 1937. H G. ALLEN ET AL 2,079,672

STAPLE EXTRACTOR `Filed Dec. 28, 1934 Patented May 11, 1937 STAPLE-EXTRACTOR Howard G. Allen, Edgewood, and Herbert A. Bickford, Warwick, It. I., assignors to Boston Wire Stitcher Company, Portland, Maine, a

corporation of Maine.

Application December 28, 1934, Serial No. '159,52

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an implement for extracting or withdrawing staples and similar fasteners from articles held together or fastened thereby and particularly to a staple-extracting device'of the same general character as that 5 shown. and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,980,573, dated November 13, 1934.

'I'he present invention consists in improvements in .the constructlonand method of operation of the device which, in its preferred form, is cono stituted as a bowed spring adapted to be manually operated to extract the staples without mutilating or otherwise damaging the sheets of material or other articles fastened thereby.

One object of the invention is to provide a 15 light-weight, compact device of the type indicated that may be used as a desk implement or carried in the pocket.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a device of the type4 indicated having means for insertion under the head of a staple to press against the work and' means having a relative sliding movement that cooperate to withdraw the staple.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device ofthe type indicated which is operative to withdraw or extract the staple by causing its clinched legs to be straightened whereby to prevent tearing or mutilating the paper or otherwise `damaging the work. l

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type-indicated which is operative to extract or withdraw the staple without buckling or bending its head or crossbarv so as to prevent tearing the paper or other material through which the staple is clinched.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and eicient device of the type indicated that is constructed from a single strip of sheetf metal struck up in a ,die and bent to the required tions -,and reducethe cost of the article 'to a minimum.

AFurtherA objects of the invention are set forth in Ythe lfollowing specification which describes a Ipreferred form of construction ofthe device, by

wayofexample, asv illustrated in the accom-v panying drawing. In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective` view of the present improved staple-extracting device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device showing vthe relation of the jaws in the first operation of extracting'a staple; lFlg. 3 is a similar side view illustrating the shape Vwhereby to .eliminate assembling opera" manner in which the staple the work;

Fig. 41s a similar side view, partly in section, showing the relation of the `jaws at thecompletion of the staple-extracting operation;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the device with the jaws in the position shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a'bottom plan viewof the device showis withdrawn from ing the jaws in the position indicated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional kview through the device taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the device showing the jaws in the same position as illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view through the device taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a similar transverse sectional view taken on line Ill-l of Fig. 4 showing the jaws in the position at the completion of the stapleextracting operation.

As before indicated, the invention is preferably embodied in a device constructed in the form of a bowed spring or loop to provide opposed handle `members with .jaws at their ends adapted for lateral relative movement with respect to each other when manual pressure is applied thereagainst. One jaw of the implement is provided with a beak-like blade adapted for insertion under the head or crossbar of a clinched staple and having inclined cam edges at its sides. 'I'he other jaw is constituted as 'a curved prying member for engaging the crossbar oflthe'staple during the lateral relative movement iof the j aws to cause` its legs to be bent bythe edges of the beak-like blade and pried upwardlyV from kthe work by the inclined cam edges.

In the preferred illustrated embodiment ofthe invention the staple-extracting device is con` structed from a. single strip lof tempered metal struck up in a die land bent tofthe shape '.indi-` cated in Fig. l of-thedrawing. `As shown in this view, the device comprisesopposedarms 2 and 3 which are joined at one end ina semicircular loop 4. The looped` end I of the'deviceforms, in effect, a pivot for the arms 2 -and 3to adapt them'` to be manually closed together :opspreadapart in ther manner asV later r explained. The arms lt and` 3 are formed concavo-convex -in4 cross-section along the greater portionv oftheir'length-,to strengthen the structure provide smooth outer surfaces adapted to be conveniently grasped by the lingers in forcing the Vjaws together.

The vend of the arm 2 is bent downwardly at a substantially right-angle to vform a slightly curved backing plate having a beak or blade at its end adapted to be inserted between the paper or other object and the head of the staple in removing the latter from the work. As shown most clearly in Fig. 4, the lower edge of the blade 5 is beveled to provide a knife-like edge prong 6 for facilitating its insertion between the head of the staple and the work. 'I'he corners of the blade 5 are bent or folded inwardly at rightangles to provide ears or projections 9 having edges I Il inclined with respects to the blade 5. The inclined edges I form cams or wedges along which the head or crossbar of the staple slides in the manner as later explained to cause it to be withdrawn from the work. Extending rearwardly from the blade is a curved ear II which serves as a stop in the manner and for a purpose as later explained. The ear II is formed by slitting the blade and bending the metal between the sides of the slit rearwardly.

'I'he arm 3 is narrowed down at its end and curled upwardly to provide a curved prying element I5 adapted to engage the head or crossbar of the staple during the staple-extracting operation. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the prying element I5 is adapted for movement past the end of the prong 6 and into sliding engagement with the inner face of the blade 5 between the projections 9. The under side of the element I5 is beveled to form a knife-like edge that engages the inner face of the prong 6 with a close sliding iit and insures engagement with the under side of the staple crossbar. I'he construction of the implement having now been described in detail its method of operation will next be explained.

Wire staples and similar fasteners are employed very generally for attaching papers and documents; securing tags and labels to articles of commerce, and in sundry other uses too numerous to mention. In some cases the staples are used as a permanent fastening means, but in other instances their use is temporary when it is desired to detach the papers or other articles.'

' the work.

With the present improved implement staples clinched in the usual way may be withdrawn from the work conveniently and expeditiously without danger of tearing the papers or otherwise mutilating the articles fastened thereby.

In operating the present device the arms 2 and 3 are grasped between the lingers and thumb in the usual manner with the jaws held apart due to the inherent.resi1iency of the bowed loop of the spring 4, as shown in Fig. 1. Holding the work w with one hand, the operator inserts the beveled prong 6 of the blade 5 under the crossbar b of the staple s in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. When the prong 6 has been inserted beneath the head of the staple s in this manner the prying end I5 of the arm 3 will be spaced from the end of the prong 6 and it is only necessary to force the arms 2 and 3 toward each other to withdraw the staple in the manner as next explained. l

As pressure is exerted on the arms 2 and 3 their free ends are forced together against the tension of the loop 4. During this action of the arms the beveled forward edge of the prying element I5 is first moved into sliding engagement with the inner face of the blade prong 6 and to a position beneath the crossbar of the staple s in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2, 6 and '1.

As further pressure is applied against the arms 2 and 3 the laterally inclined edges or cams I0 on the blade 6 .and the curved prying element I5 move inwardly toward each other and slide under the crosshead b of the staple s in the manner indicated in Figs. 3, 8 and 9. During this movement the crossbar b of the staple s is cammed or pried away from the work w and its legs are bent back and= straightened while at the same time the sheets of paper or other articles are held from buckling or bending. Stated another way, the bent ends of the legs of the staple are forced apart through their engagement with the lateral edges of the prong 6 and thus are straightened without tending to tear or mutilate the paper sheets or other articles through which the staple is clinched. It has been demonstrated in practice, that the legs of the staple are so straightened and withdrawn from the work without tearing or greatly enlarging the holes through which the legs extend in their clinched position.

During the extraction of the staple in the manner as above explained its legs straddle the edges of the prying element I5 of the arm 3 so that the head of the staple is prevented from buckling and is pulled evenly as the element I5 moves across the blade 5. When the arms 2 and 3 are compressed to such an extent that the head or crossbar b of the staple s reaches the peak of the bent ears 9 the legs of the staple will be completely withdrawn from the work w as shown in Figs. 4 and 10. It will be seen by reference to these views that when the jaws are further depressed the head of the staple is carried into engagement with the inwardly projecting ear or stop II and held thereagainst by the prying end I5 of the arm 3. In this manner the staple may be held suspended and subsequently released therefrom to drop into a wastepaper basket or other receptacle when the jaws are opened out.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides a convenient and efficient appliance for extracting clinched staples and similar fasteners when it is desired to detach the articles held together or fastened thereby. It will also be observed that the device is extremely compact, light in weight and simple in construction, being formed entirely from a single strip of sheet-metal struck up in a die and bent to the required shape whereby to eliminate assembling operations and reduce the cost of the article to a minimum. It will further be observed that with the improved construction of the present device the use of screws, pins. rivets, springs or other extraneous parts liable to become loosened and displaced is eliminated and the implement is therefore durable and capable of extended use without adjustment or repair.

While the device is herein shown and described as embodiedin a preferred form of construction, it is to be understood that various modications may be made in the structure thereof without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting the invention in this respect, we claim: Y

1. A staple-remover of the type indicated comprising a strip of resilient material folded to form opposed arms, inwardly directed cooperating members at the ends of the arms adapted for lateral movement with respect toeach other, one of said members having a tapered backing face and a cam projecting at an angle to the plane of the backing face, and a prying element on theother of said members. the backing face being adapted for insertion under the crossbar of a clinched staple to a position where the tapered sides engage the legs and the opposite prying member being adapted to move the crossbar on the cam to withdraw the staple by bending the legs about the edges of the backing'= plate.

2. A staple-remover of the type indicated comprising a strip of resilient material folded to form opposed arms, the end of one of the arms being folded inwardly to form a blade and the material of the blade bent to form a cam-surface projecting at an angle to the plane of the blade, the end of the other arm being formed with a prying member for engaging and moving the crossbar of a clinched staple against the camsurface on the opposite arm to'remove the staple.

3. A staple-remover of the type indicated comprising a rectangular strip of resilient material folded to form opposed arms, the end of one of the arms being bent inwardly and having its corners folded to form inclined .cam-surfaces projecting at an angle to the plane of the inwardly bent end, the end of the other arm being cut away and adapted to engage the crossbar of a clinched staple and move between the cam-surfaces on the opposite arm to pry the crossbar against the inclining cam-surfaces to remove the staple.

4. A staple-remover comprising a strip of resilient material folded to form opposing arms, the ends of the arms being inwardly directed with the corners of one end of the strip being bent to form a tapered backing plate and inclined camsurfaces, the end of the other arm being curved and tapered and adapted for movement between the bent corners on the opposite end for prying the crossbar of a clinched staple against the 40 cam-surfaces.

5. A staple-remover comprising a strip of re/ silient material folded to form opposed armsftle end of one of the arms being inwardly directed and with the corners of the strip folded at an angle to the plane of the strip, the material at the rear of the folded corners being slit and extended to form a stop, and the materialat the end of the other arm being cut away to adapt the end for movement between the folded corners and into engagement with the stop member.

'6. A staple-remover of the type indicated comprising a rectangular strip of resilient material folded to form opposed arms, one of said arms being longer than the other with its end portion folded inwardly to form a backing plate underlying the end of the opposite arm, and the' inwardly-folded backing plate having inclined cam-surfaces projecting at an angle to the plane of the backing plate, the end of the opposite arm being adapted to move the crossbar of a clinched staple against the inclined cam-surfaces to remove the staple.

'1. A staple-remover of the type indicated comprising a rectangular strip of resilient material folded to form opposed arms, one of the arms being longer than the other with its end portion folded inwardly to form a backing plate underlying the end of the opposite arm, the inwardlyfolded backing plate having inclined cam-surfaces at its opposite sides projecting at an angle to the plane thereof, the end of the opposite arm being adapted to move the crossbar of a clinched staple against the inclined cam-surfaces to remove the staple, and an abutment in the form of a lug struck up from the backing plate and engaged by the end of the opposite arm to hold the staple after it has been removed.

HOWARD G. ALLEN. HERBERT A. BICKFORD. 

